Hospital land could have stores, hotels, more in future

Halifax Health Medical Center's dream of developing its vacant 77-acre property across from the hospital has taken a key step toward reality.

EILEEN ZAFFIRO-KEANSTAFF WRITER

DAYTONA BEACH — Halifax Health Medical Center's dream of developing its vacant 77-acre property across from the hospital has taken a key step toward reality. This week the city's Planning Board unanimously approved a zoning change that could lead to the wooded property being turned into the home of a new college, dorm rooms, apartments, hotels, restaurants, shops, professional offices and medical buildings. The hospital doesn't know yet what it wants to do with its land north of the K-Mart on International Speedway Boulevard, and the City Commission still needs to give its OK later this year. But the site on the west side of Clyde Morris Boulevard is poised to begin a new chapter. "This is just another piece on the chess board of Daytona Beach that's being developed," said local attorney Rob Merrell, who's working with the hospital on the project. "It's very exciting." The land, which includes a parking lot and a large forested area, is currently zoned only for hospital and medical uses. The hospital is seeking a planned master development that would allow a mix of uses that could include nursing homes, churches, restaurants, gyms, hair salons and light industrial. The end result could be some combination of up to 1,600 apartments, nearly 5,000 hotel rooms, 1.3 million square feet of retail space, 2 million square feet of hospital space, 3.1 million square feet of business space and 3.1 million square feet of office space. Those are the maximum numbers the city would allow under the planned master development, and not all of the different types of uses would be allowed to hit the maximum figures — nor would all of that fit. No decisions, detailed or even general, have been made yet, said Mayor Glenn Ritchey, who is the vice chairman of the Halifax Health Board of Commissioners. "We're getting the property there in position," Ritchey said. "This prepares the hospital for any potential opportunities. We don't have plans to build anything there in the near future. There's been no decisions other than the general discussions for land use." Merrell, an attorney with the Cobb Cole law firm, said the hospital has had some discussions with private developers, but agreed nothing specific is in the works. The hospital has plenty of room and will stay where it is on the east side of Clyde Morris, the mayor said. About the only other thing that has been decided is that the large white building at the southwest corner of Clyde Morris Boulevard and Dunn Avenue, a former hospital, will be torn down, Ritchey said. "The Atlantic building is beyond modifying. It needs to come down," Ritchey said. "It's very old, and it would cost a lot more to renovate it." The hospital also owns the Clyde Morris Boulevard land the Florida Healthcare Plans buildings are on, but there are no plans to take down those structures, a hospital spokesman said. There are also no plans to demolish the office buildings fronting Dunn Avenue, Merrell said. A report on the 77.5-acre tract that was put together by Dennis Mrozek, a senior planner with the city, said development of the property "is intended to occur in several phases." "The size, order and configuration of future phases of development will be dictated by market conditions and will be at the discretion of Halifax Health Medical Center," Mrozek wrote, noting the hospital would have to install all necessary infrastructure, such as water and sewer pipes. The city would review the hospital's future development requests, and would impose terms of the agreement the hospital is seeking. That would include the hospital limiting its building heights to 75 feet, about seven stories, and any building larger than 20,000 square feet would require review and approval by the Planning Board. The next step is for the City Commission to take an initial vote on the zoning change. That's slated for Nov. 7, and commissioners are scheduled to take a final vote Dec. 5. Planning Board member Tracey Remark wholeheartedly supports the hospital's ideas. "I think it's a boon for the community," Remark said. "It's exciting to see some things take shape in the community." Sean Snaith, an associate professor of economics at the University of Central Florida's Orlando campus, said the economy is recovering very slowly, but the timing could still be right for the hospital to be getting ready for new development. "It might be the exact right time," Snaith said. "Governments are hungry for economic development." "This will open up options for the property," Merrell said. "I'm excited about all these new developments. I really hope it's contagious."